Oliver Grant is selling hot chocolate and helping the local food bank at the same time. The Middleton youngster says his stepfather inspired him and his creative photographer mom Chelsea has helped out a lot.

Oliver Grant is selling hot chocolate and helping the local food bank at the same time. The Middleton youngster says his stepfather inspired him and his creative photographer mom Chelsea has helped out a lot.

Oliver Grant is selling hot chocolate and helping the local food bank at the same time. The Middleton youngster says his stepfather inspired him and his creative photographer mom Chelsea has helped out a lot.

'I couldn’t have done it without my mom and my stepdad'

MIDDLETON, N.S. - Nine-year-old Oliver Grant’s hot chocolate business is doing good – in more ways than one.

The seasonally attired youngster likes to help others. It’s the kind of guy he is.

The Annapolis East Elementary School student was doing just that Wednesday afternoon in Middleton as he warmed up the east end of Main Street with hot chocolate and a big smile.

His festively decorated hot chocolate stand at the end of his driveway caused more than one driver to pull off the busy street, hand over a dollar for the warm beverage, and drop a toonie or two into a donation jar for the food bank. One woman put five dollars in the jar and told the youngster it was a great thing he was doing.

Marshmallows and candy cane bits are 25 cents extra and that money goes right to the food bank. There are also candy canes for 50 cents.

“He has a really good sense of money,” said his mother Chelsea Moffatt Dec. 6. “He’s learning a lot about numbers and all that stuff – economics – through all this.”

Moffatt makes the hot chocolate and puts it in a big Thermos with a pump on it. Does he ever run out?

“A lot,” he acknowledges.

It’s not the first time Grant has mixed business with philanthropy. He’s also sold lemonade with part of the funds raised going to the food bank.

“I’ve done it before,” he said in reference to helping the food bank. “One year for my birthday, two years ago I think, I asked for food bank donations.”

Moffatt confirmed the selfless birthday gesture and remembers four or five bags of groceries being delivered to the Upper Room Food bank in Kingston.

“He’s got a really big heart and he’s always looking for ways to help others,” said Moffatt, obviously proud of her altruistic son.

It’s true a local food bank will benefit from his efforts, but Grant is also a businessman and is earning money for the company he runs with friend Matthew.

“I’m trying to make some Christmas shopping money, just to have over the holidays,” Grant said, “but mainly, next year I’m going to see my cousin in Alberta and I want to save up for that.”

Dec. 6 was Day 3 of his hot chocolate business and he even had a commercial on the radio.

“I wanted to do it last week. It just never happened,” he said. Snow would be a help, he agreed, as the Wednesday after-school-sales were done under a large umbrella and a drizzle of rain.

Regardless, people were stopping and Grant believes that means they have big hearts.